Think Before You Click ‘Unsubscribe’
Inboxes can have a constant wave of emails you didn’t ask for. This could include travel deals, subscription offers, “crypto tips,” and more. Naturally, you want to hit that unsubscribe link at the bottom and move on.
Not every unsubscribe link is as harmless as it seems
According to our vendor DNSFilter (www.dnsfilter.com), 1 in every 644 unsubscribe clicks leads users to a potentially malicious website.
Why Unsubscribing Is Risky
Clicking tells scammers that your email address is real and active. That makes you a bigger target for future incidents.
That unsubscribe link could send you to a fake but convincing website where attackers try to steal your login credentials, or install malware on your device.
Once you click, you’re no longer in your email app’s secure environment. You’re now on the open web, where attackers have more room to work.
“Trust is relative. I trust my email client, but I don’t trust what’s inside the email.”
— TK Keanini, CTO at DNSFilter
What to Watch For
If a link asks for your password just to unsubscribe…don’t do it.
If you’ve never communicated with the sender before, or something feels off about the email, don’t trust any links in it, including the unsubscribe ones. Legitimate businesses may have unsubscribe forms, but it still benefits to be cautious.
Better Options
Use your email app’s unsubscribe tool.
Most major email clients (like Gmail or Outlook) offer a safe unsubscribe option near the top of the email. These use built-in headers and don’t redirect you to another website.
Mark suspicious emails as spam.
This trains your email provider to filter them out in the future.
Set up filters.
If you keep getting annoying emails from a specific sender, you can automatically route them to your spam or trash folder.
Use disposable or masked email addresses.
For sign-ups, coupons, or anything you don’t fully trust, create a separate email address. Apple’s “Hide My Email” and other tools like Firefox Relay or DuckDuckGo Email Protection offer great privacy solutions.
How We Help
Our team can help you stay one step ahead with:
Email Filtering – We’ll set up advanced filters to block suspicious senders before they hit your inbox.
Web Filtering – Even if someone clicks a risky link, web filtering helps prevent access to malicious sites.
Security Best Practices – We’ll help you protect your data and your team with internal training and configuration.
Want to make sure your email systems are secure?
Contact us to start the conversation.